Changeling
Changelings are people with a mixture of fae blood and human blood running through their veins. Each changeling's strength is different- rarely, some get a full measure of faerie magic, even more than their parents. These changelings have no limits and are often very destructive.Rosemary and Rue, Ch. 2 Weaker changelings are more common. This group's gifts vary depending on bloodline. Whatever they can do, they cannot do it as well as a pureblood. They are more emotionally flexible than purebloods, however. They often appear to be a mixture of fae and human, with dully pointed ears and slightly sharper features, with unusually-colored eyes and/or hair. Thin-blooded changelings are those with more human blood than fae blood - most commonly 1/4 fae to 3/4 human, though other combinations may exist. They are often so magically weak that they must use fairy ointment in order to see the entirety of Faerie, such as spells, illusions, pixies, and other details. They may appear human enough to not need the Changeling's Choice, allowing them to naturally live amongst humans and in ignorance of their fae heritage. They may experience slightly lengthened lifespans, though not so drastically different from human possibility as to draw attention. Merlins are the weakest changelings of all; 1/8 fae or less. They appear human, but can use potions and minor incantations.http://seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com/385694.html The tiny amount of magic in their blood combined with human creativity and determination makes merlins very dangerous.The Fixed Stars According to Toby in Night and Silence, "Cast 'big magic'? Yes. Merlins can cast spells I can't manage. And no matter what line of descent their fae ancestors claimed, they don't seem to follow any of the normal divisions. A Tuatha Merlin might be incredibly skilled at Flower Magic, or a Tylwyth Merlin might be an incredible blood worker. They don't have the talents of their ancestors, but if they can put together a ritual for something, they can probably bully the universe into letting them have it." Changelings remain with their parents until they make the Changeling's Choice. Certain parts of faerie, like dawn or goblin fruit, or the transition between the mortal world and the Summerlands, affect changelings more strongly than purebloods because their defenses are weaker. In a related vein, a changeling (or a human) will die when poisoned by Elf-shot, as opposed to simply sleeping for 100 years. Conversely, the human blood in a changeling will provide a stronger defense against the poisonous effect of iron, sometimes to the point where they are hardly affected by it at all, thus making them able to wield a powerful tool against pureblooded fae. Most changelings hold a difficult position in faerie society. They are too human to truly belong, but their longevity makes it difficult for them to remain in the mortal world.Rosemary and Rue, Ch. 5 Many end up holding minor positions at Court. Changelings are not protected by Oberon's Law (but may be held accountable to it), and are not counted among the Fae census. According to Marcia, "Thin-blooded are a step above Merlins, but there's a lot of prejudice there, and they're not covered by the law- in fact, some people think the law should be interpreted to mean that all Thin-blooded should be killed on sight, BECAUSE they're so close to Merlins. If they marry humans, the bloodline goes into the mortal world, almost undetectable, and magic emerges later- dangerous, and unpredictable, and not within the Pureblood's control. Too many of the old ones remember the war against the Merlins, they remember how many Purebloods died. Thin-bloods are only a part of Faerie because it would be too much trouble to kill them all." Description (Defined) Merlins- weaker than changelings. fae at the 1/16th (great-grandchild) level. single scent in their magic. too thin-blooded for complexity, if detectable at all. Background ✥ No one explains that “changeling” could be an insult, or that it would mean living trapped between worlds, watching half your family die while the other half lived forever, leaving you behind. About Characteristics and Nature * Flexibility and adaptation were changeling traits—Purebloods respond to change slowly Other Details * Changelings don’t grow up in the human world. It simply isn’t done. Changeling Childhood Friends * Kerry — half Hob, half airhead; * Julie — half Cait Sidhe, all trouble; * Stacy Brown — weak-blooded Stacy, Toby's best friend and Mitch's eventual wife. * Mitch Brown — Nixie/Hob, mixed with human made him large, though Hobs are short * October Daye — half Daoine Sidhe, half human References See Also * Home * Devin * Category:Changeling Characters Category:Types of fae